Love and War
by Yoruichi 'Ino
Summary: In the mist of an upcoming battle, repressed feelings come to the surface. ShikaIno


It's been two plus years and I literally have no idea where this came from. I'm normally a SasuIno writer but lately I have been rediscovering ShikaIno, so I guess that is why this came about? I don't know. Keep in mind that I literally have not watched Naruto/kept up with the manga in a really long time. So if something is wrong, I am deeply sorry. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy!

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_Love and War_

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**Disclaimer**: Obviously I don't own Naruto.  
**Summary**: In the mist of an upcoming battle, repressed feelings come to the surface. ShikaIno

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"Hey, we need to talk." A deep baritone voice from behind the Yamanaka reach her young ears. She knew the voice oh so well, but honestly, it was the last thing she wanted to hear right now.

"Not right now, Shikamaru." Her long slender hands smoothed out her face, wiping away any remaining tears that had escaped her eyes. She took a deep breath, trying her best to prevent the rest of her tears from falling down. She didn't want to do this, not in front of him at least. She turned around, looked directly at him, a smile on her face, and she said, "I have somewhere to be." But the quivering in her voice betrayed her. And if anyone could pick up the different tone in her voice, it would be him. Her shadow.

But she did her best to pretend like she, herself, didn't notice the twitch of his eyebrows at her words. She stood up from her sitting position and attempted to walk away. She wasn't even two steps away when a firm grasp on her arm held her back. "You're lying and I don't quite need your jutsu to tell me that."

She knew. Of course she knew. This was Nara Shikamaru we were talking about. The boy with an IQ well over 200. But she didn't want to talk about this; or rather, she couldn't. Not without breaking down into tears. She bit her bottom lip, desperately holding in the tears. Her eyes began to sting and she knew just a little bit more and she would no longer be able to control herself. Not when it came down to this.

"Please talk to me." His hold on her becoming a little bit softer. His eyebrows furrowed as he started at the blonde's back. This wasn't like him, to pursue something. Much less to find out the reason behind a girl's tears. But this was Yamanaka Ino were talking about. The most troublesome woman he had ever met, but one whose presence was essential in his life. Someone he cared about, and to hell if he wasn't there for her in her time of need. He already lost Asuma; he wasn't going to go into battle without making sure everyone dear to him was okay. Especially Ino. Even if the reason that she wasn't crying was something that he wish didn't exist. For the village, but mostly for him. "It's because of him, right? Because of Uchiha."

Ino's body tensed at the mention of the name. And in the moment, rather than sadness and anxiousness, all she felt was anger. Anger at him because after so many years, he still...Her breathing got heavier, and this time she allowed her tears to run free. As quick as light, she turned around and stared straight into the man's brown eyes. "You think this is about Sasuke?!"

"Isn't it, Ino? After so many years, you still care about the bastard, don't you? That's why you're crying, isn't it? Because you don't want us to battle him! I'm sorry but your precious Uchiha is a threat to Konoha and it's our sacred duty as shinobi to do everything in our power to protect this village! Even if it means killing Sasuke!" All the anger the Nara had held for the Uchiha prodigy's treason, all the jealousy he held because Sasuke had been the one Ino constantly chose and never forgot, all that the feelings he never knew he had harbored against the Uchiha all burst in those words. But before he could say anything more, he felt a strong, slender hand slap him across the face.

"Don't. You. Fucking. Dare." Ino said in between deep breaths and punches to the Nara. "Don't you fucking dare say that this is about Sasuke, Shikamaru! Are you really that dense to think that the reason I'm like this is because of Uchiha!" Tears poured down her cerulean eyes; never once ceasing her punches.

"Then why the hell were you crying, huh? Can you explain that?" Shikamaru screamed as he took a hold of Ino's fists. She struggled with all her might to escape his grasp, but he was stronger than her. Much stronger. "The instant we mentioned fighting Sasuke, you reverted to your old fangirl self and started crying!" Suddenly, it was as if the whole world had instant those words reached the Yamanaka's ear's, her struggling stopped. Pain glossed Ino's eyes and she hoped he caught the emotion. Because was that really what he thought of her. After all these years, is that all he will ever see her as. One of Sasuke's old fangirls. And lucky for her, he did. "Ino...I'm sorry, I didn't..."

"Did it ever occur to you," her hands still trapped his, her voice now firm and determined," that the reason I'm crying isn't that you're fighting Sasuke but rather that Sasuke's fighting you?" And with those words, the Nara's grip on the Yamanaka lost all it's strength. In that moment, as he stared straight into her blue eyes, he understood. How could he have been so stupid? "I wasn't crying because I was afraid that you were going to hurt Sasuke. I was afraid, terrified, at the idea of losing you to him. It's been years, and while I know that you're one of the strongest shinobis I know, Sasuke is powerful, too. Much more powerful then when we were genin. I know what it's like to lose someone I care about. I don't want to lose someone I love as well." A timid smile appeared on her slender lips. "I couldn't to handle that. I can't."

To say that the Nara was speechless was an understatement. So many months of convincing himself that he felt nothing when it was just him and her, so many nights of ignoring the fact that she was often the last thing he thought about before he falling asleep, so many times of insisting that there was no reason that him, and only him, could protect her body when she did her Mind-Body-Switch Technique other than the fact that she had told him to. So many years of pretending he wasn't in love the girl, and especially with this side of her. The her that wasn't afraid to dispel her feelings. The her that was vulnerable. The her that allowed him, and only him, to hear her thoughts. "How long?" He finally managed to croak.

"I think I've always known." Ino sighed in content. It was nice to finally say it. Regardless of the situation. "Maybe before Sasuke. Maybe after. But somewhere along the line, I just knew. My parents, my dad, the whole village, they've always said it would be us. And I didn't want to accept it, but I did eventually. And it feels, right." She shrugged slightly, her hands pushing her long blonde bang back. "I'm not telling you this because I want you to say you're in love with me. I'm telling you because I need you to understand that I'm not that shallow girl I was back when I was still fighting with Sakura over Sasuke. I actually care, especially about you. You're my best friend."

"Troublesome, woman," the Nara scoffed. And before she knew it, before she had time to think, before she could say another word, the Nara boy's lips crashed into hers. And all those years of pretending they didn't know, all those moments of hidden stares and smiles and touches, all those feelings, mixed into one beautiful passionate kiss.


End file.
